Global Adventure - Hike Utah's Canyonlands National Park and Bear's Ears National Monument

Arrive no later than noon on Sunday April 2, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Leader will pick up  the rental van and passengers and drive to our rental house in Moab (4 hrs). The next 5 days will be spent hiking and traveling to the different Parks. We will arrive back in Salt Lake City  late afternoon on Saturday, April 8, return the rental van, and participants can arrange flights home for Saturday, April 8, 2023, or continue their own for further activities in the area.

Itinerary Highlights:    On our first day we will explore hikes around the Colorado River just outside of Moab with particular focus on the Fisher Towers Trail, which is a maze of soaring fins, pinnacles, minarets, gargoyles, spires, and strangely shaped rock formations from millions of years of erosion composed of dark red Cutler sandstone topped by harder Moenkopi sandstone and draped with mud curtains.   The next two days will be day hikes in Canyonlands Island in the Sky Taylor Canton zone, through the Syncline loop and Upheaval Canyon that will lead to views over the magnificent  Green River and canyon. The following day we will explore Canyonlands Needles district with a hike around the Chesler Park loop, with colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that dominate the area. Tower Ruin, Confluence Overlook, Elephant Hill, the Joint Trail, are part of this loop.  We'll also stop at Newspaper Rock which is  covered with figures carved by various prehistoric cultures and is designated a Utah State Historic Monument. 

Our last two days will be spent adventuring within the marvelous Bears Ears National Monument within Casa Verde and the majestic Navajo Nation of Southeast Utah. First we will have a full day with an Ancient Wayves Navaho historian guiding us through native ruins at House on Fire and Moonhouse, and teach us the archaeology and how the land was used for medicine,
food/storage, and tools. The second day we will explore more in Bears Ears with a hike at on the Citadel trail, with more ruins and the history of an 800-year-old fortress protected by a narrow entry. The views are amazing!

On our final day we'll drive back to Salt Lake City and participants can depart for home (or continue independent adventures) the following day.

Time of Year:   Our trip is designed to take place in the early spring, when the weather will be cooler (71 F highs and 42 F lows), skies clear, and beautiful warm days and cool nights to enjoy.

Lodging:   6 nights at a large, rented home in Moab.  Participants will share rooms.

Food: There will be two dinners included in the cost of the trip; lunches, breakfast and remaining dinners will be part of a group meal planning session. More to come about this. 

Leader’s Experience:   Jacqui Sinatra (jacqui.sinatra@gmail.com) is a new Global Adventures leader but has been a Mountaineer hike leader for 2 years, leading 13 hikes and multi-day backpack trips in the last two years. She has hiked many of these hikes in the past year.

Participant Requirements:    Must be a current Mountaineers member with an up-to-date waiver on file.  Participants will also be required to have a Mountaineer COVID-19 badge or proof of being sully vaccinated with a booster. This outing includes several consecutive days of hiking easy/moderate trails, on varied terrain, so participants need to be in good aerobic condition with good balance, confidence on sloped and potentially slippery slickrock, and willing to hike in warm, sunny temperatures.  Participants should have a positive attitude, an inquisitive nature and appreciation for the natural world and early cultures, and a demonstrated ability to get along well with groups. Day packs, sun protection, sturdy shoes and trekking poles are required equipment.

NOTE: As a Mountaineers group we will operate as interdependent, capable travelers making our way together and helping one another succeed and be safe. You are responsible for your own safety and that of your fellow travelers. You must have the ability to navigate on trails with a map and compass.

Trip Price Detail:  $1900 including all lodging, transportation via rental van from airport to all  listed activities and back, Bears Ears native tour, three dinners out, and National and State Park entry fees.  Not included breakfasts, all lunches for the trail, and some dinners (~$95.00 total), as well as your airfare (~$295.00), travel insurance ~$160), and gratuities.

Registration Instructions:   Please submit the application form using the button below. After the leader’s approval, please pay the 50% deposit ($950) to hold your space on the roster.   A place on the roster can only be held with payment of the deposit. The balance of the trip payment is due by
January 31, 2023.  Registration will close on January 1, 2023, or whenever the roster fills. 

Application     Trip Agreement     Supplemental Information     Release

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel because of an emergency, you may receive a refund less any non-refundable expenses that have been incurred and a $100 administrative fee.